Corner bead guiding system

ABSTRACT

A corner bead guiding system for dispensing compound to a corner surface is a handheld unit that has a separate compound channel and tape channel, both of which terminate slightly rearward of a blade located on the forward end of the unit. The unit has retractable wall guides on both right and left sides of the bottom allowing the user to follow and finish (add compound) the outside corner of wallboard easily and accurately.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Ser. No. 60/554,217

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

Not applicable

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present device is directed to a process of taping joints between adjacent pieces of wallboard or drywall and an apparatus for effecting such taping of the joints. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus whereby adjustable sliding guide mechanisms are attached to both sides of the invention for taping the outside corner joints of wallboard.

The current device is a sliding mechanism located inside a wallboard compound finish box on both right and left hand sides. Each mechanism is able to move in or out depending on which side of the corner bead the user is taping.

BACKGROUND

Wallboard (also known as drywall) has become the dominant material in the production of interior building partitions. In particular, interior building partitions generally comprise a stud wall of spaced parallel vertical members (studs) which are used as a support for preformed panels (wallboard) which are attached to the stud wall by screws, nails, adhesive or any other conventional attachment system. Obviously, joints exist between adjacent preformed panels In order to provide a continuous flat surface to the wall, it is necessary to “finish” the joint between adjacent panels Generally, such “finishing” requires the building up of multiple layers of a mastic material (joint compound) and the blending of this joint compound into the panel surface or corner so as to form the desired flat and contiguous wall surface. In order to facilitate this finishing of the corners and joints, most manufacturers bevel the longitudinal edges of the wallboard panels and corner bead so as to allow a buildup of mastic material which will then match the level of the major surface area of the preformed panel. Typically, the buildup of the mastic material in the joint area comprises the application of a first layer of mastic material, the embedding of a wallboard tape (for example a paper tape or metal corner bead) in the first layer of mastic material and then the over coating of the tape with one or more, generally two layers of additional mastic material. This finishing of the joints is a time consuming process, since it is generally necessary to wait 24 hours between each application of a coat of mastic material in order to allow the coat to dry before the application of an overcoat of an additional layer of mastic material. Moreover, it is then necessary generally to sand the joint area so as to produce a finish which will match the major portion of the surface area of the wallboard panels. The “finishing” process thus is both time-consuming and labor-intensive.

In this regard, numerous attempts have been made to speed up and/or reduce the labor involved in the finishing products. In this regard, no device has embodied the design and function of the current device.

Instead of finishing a piece of corner bead by hand, you are now able to complete the same process with a mechanical tool.

The current device is a guide mechanism inserted onto drywall finish box to run corner bead with tool instead of by hand. Any drywall finisher capable of running a finish box will be able to use this tool and be more efficient and faster, hence saving time and money.

None of the above inventions and patents taken either singly or in combination is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Accordingly, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel corner bead guiding system which is compact, simple to manufacturer, and economical in cost. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a corner bead guiding system which can be used with or without the corner tabs extended.

It is an objective to provide a corner bead guiding system which is a unitary piece, without removable elements which can become lost.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a corner bead guiding system which is designed to be ergonomically easy to use.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a corner bead guiding system which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a corner bead guiding system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a corner bead guiding system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art tool guides, either alone or in any combination thereof.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a corner bead guiding system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a corner bead guiding system device which is of a durable and reliable construction.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a folding corner bead guiding system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such planting device economically available to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a corner bead guiding system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational bottom and right side view of the corner bead guiding system with adjustable guide tabs;

FIG. 2 is an elevational interior view of the corner bead guiding system demonstrating the adjustable guide tab housing;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 A corner bead guiding system 5 is indicated generally and includes adjustable guiding tabs 1 having an adjustment screw 3 accessible directly above the guide tab bracket 2 mounted beneath the access slot 4. As illustrated, the guiding tabs 1 are concealed within the guide housing 4 until they are needed. When needed, the adjustment screw 3 is loosened enough to slide the guide tabs out beyond the guide tab bracket 2 as to give the user a physical and visual guide by which to follow the corner of the wallboard when applying wall compound to the area. The corner bead guiding system housing 5 contains wallboard compound pressurized by the loading spring 7 as illustrated on FIG. 2.

With continuing attention to the drawing, wherein applied reference numerals indicate parts similarly hereinafter identified, the reference numeral 5 indicates the personal corner bead guiding system;

While I have shown but a few embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be secured by a patent is: 

1. A corner bead guiding system for dispensing compound to a corner surface, the system comprising: a compound receiving cavity having side walls, a hinged pressurized top wall, a bottom wall, a fixed end wall and a movable end wall comprising: a. retractable wall guides on right and left walls b. wall guide adjustment screws on both right and left side walls c. recessed wall guide housing within the compound receiving cavity
 2. A corner bead guiding system for dispensing compound to a corner surface according to claim 1 in which said wall guides are adjustable in length according to manual controls.
 3. A corner bead guiding system for dispensing compound to a corner surface according to claim 1 in which said guiding system includes an exterior quick adjustment screw for retracting or extending the guides.
 4. A corner bead guiding system for dispensing compound to a corner surface according to claim 1 in which said guiding system carries wall compound pressurized by a spring located on the top side.
 5. A corner bead guiding system for dispensing compound to a corner surface according to claim 1 in which said system dispenses tape and compound simultaneously for joining wall board seams. 